Nava Waxman’s Light of Reverie at Nuit Blanche 2010

Nava Waxman’s Light of Reverie at Nuit Blanche 2010
By Moshe Mikanovsky
ShalomToronto, September 28 2010

Day dreaming, fantasy, stories, childhood memories and intuitive image development are all part of artist Nava Waxman’s inspiration in her fairy-tale images. Working mainly with encaustic, or hot wax – which fits perfectly with her name – Waxman lays into the sepia-toned dream-like canvases found objects like paper clippings, coins, wires, copper buttons and other items. Her landscapes are both abstract and surreal, balanced sometimes by delicate lines weaved through wide expense of land or body of water. Birds, elephants or trees – all contribute to this fleeting balance.

Nava Waxman, Light of Reverie, Mixed media, encaustic on canvas, 40”x50”x2.5”, 2010

I have met Nava at the Engine Gallery in the Historic Distillery District, during the opening of her second solo show at the gallery, “Light of Reverie”. Celebrating with her family, friends and gallery-goers her continued success, and the new body of work, Waxman resonate the delicacy and complexity of her images. It is always a treat to engulf yourself in an image, try to understand it, interpret it in your own words, experiences and feelings, but it is even a more fulfilling treat to meet the artist behind the images, and hear from her own words about her inspiration, process, symbolism and believes.

Artist Nava Waxman

Waxman was born in Israel and immigrated to Canada in 2003. Graduate of the Tel-Aviv University, and Toronto School of Art, her style and themes cross over time and space, and can find its core in any location that comes to mind. You can find Hebrew letters, words and text alongside feminine imagery that relates to any woman out there. Two works that capture my attention deals with Jewish subjects, Queen Esther in one, represented by semi- amorphic woman shape, surrounded by birds, the Hebrew letter Alef, structural elements and eastern decorative motifs. In the other, Man and Woman are the roots of two trees, the tree of Life and the tree of Knowledge. They balance between them a heavy elephant that walks on a tight rope, suspended in the world they both support.

Nava Waxman, Elephant Eye, Mixed media, encaustic on canvas, 70”x50”, 2010

Here are some of the things I learned about her: Her inspiration is everywhere and can arise from any experience, as ordinary as it might be. She has a passion for reading. Indeed, many types of stories and books affect the narrative style of her work. Music is another strong inspiration. And talking about music, one of Nava’s paintings was selected by True North Records for the latest release of Lynn Miles latest album “Fall of Beauty”.

Waxman show is open at the Engine Gallery till October 17, 2010. But if you wish to have a better understanding of her body of work, join her and gallery owner and curator Steven Schwartz during the upcoming Nuir Blanche 2010, October 2^nd night.

Nava Waxman: Light of Reverie at the Engine Gallery, the Historic Distillery District, Toronto

Nava Waxman: Light of Reverie

Engine Gallery, Toronto

Scotiabank Nuit Blanche 2010

September 16 till October 17, 2010

37 Mill Street, Building #37 (Distillery Lane), Distillery District, Toronto ON M5A 3R6. (416) 531 9905. www.enginegallery.ca  Gallery hours: Tuesday-Sunday 12PM-6PM

You can also contact Nava Waxman (416) 648 0390, http://www.navawaxman.com/

Other Israeli artists participating at Nuit Blanche 2010:

Ram Samocha, The Restless Line, reception and live performance of “PEACE TALKS” at the Julie M. Gallery, Nuit Blanche night, 7-11:30pm, 15 Mill Street, Building #37, Distillery District, Toronto, http://www.juliemgallery.com/

Irit Lepkin in a group exhibit “Text As Drawing” at the Dish Gallery + Studio, 55 Mill Street, Case Goods Warehouse, Building #74, Studio 112, Distillery District, Toronto, 416 603-DISH (3474), http://www.dishgalleryandstudio.clayandglass.on.ca/

Moshe Mikanovsky writes for Shalom Toronto on Art matters in Toronto.  (moshe@mikanovsky.com, www.mikanovsky.com)

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